Thermostatic temperature controller for folding and pressing machines



Feb. 20, 1923.

1,446,155. H. n. CLAYTON ET AL.

THERMOSTATIG TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER FOR FOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINES.

' FILED OCT. 22. 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

- I l I g I00 200 aoo 4-00 500 6'00 WWW $22635 @1 1 5y WM, HM (M Feb. 20, 1923. 1,446,155.

H. D. CLAYTON ET AL. v THERMOSTATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER FOR FOLDING AND PREssmd MACHINES.

' FILED OCT. 22,1921- I 3 SHEETSSHEET 2- Feb. 20, 1923.

1;446,15 H. 0. CLAYTON ET AL.

THERMOSTATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER FOR' F OLDING AND PRESSLNG MACHINES.

FILED OQTK 22. 192!- 3 SHEETSSHEET ..7verc0 To aZZ whom it may concern: a

D. CLAYTON I tron,

- the materialbegins- Patented Feb. 20, 1923..

Nan es-r ms n. oLayrongconvrtrin coon, Ann senronnn cLUEr'r; or 301 new: Yoax, vAssreauoasrefer.nrnr'r; rnnnopra 00.. me, or 'rnoY, newsman, neon-y 1 PoRArroN' OF "NEW "YORK.

'- THERMOSTATIC Tamm e-Aswan ,CGNTROLLER- r01 v a I i MACHINES.

rename an!) rnnssme :be it known. that we llownnn and ORVILLE 19.20001; and SANFORD L. ()L Jn'r'r, citizens of the United States of i-linerica, and residents of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and Eatate of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic Temperature Controllers forFolding andmPressing Machines, of which the following is aspecitica- This invention concerns pressing and fold ing machines such for example as are. em-

ploye'din the commercialproduction of collars and cuffs, and relatesmore particularly toiahmethod andmeans whereby the proper operative rtemperature of apresser element o'lhsuch maehine may be substantially main tained within; the limitsfprescribed onthe one-hand by etliciency and rapidity of .operationand on the otherhand-by the. temperature .at whichsubstantial weakening of In the manufacture of collarsand cufis the margin of thelblank is folded inwardly over the edge of a suitably shaped die plate and is then 'subjected to heat and pressure for .a period of time'sufiicient toiset the fold. Three factors thenienter into the operation, to wit, the pressure-to which the goods are subject for securing intimacy of -contact thereof. with the heated presserelement, the period of time during which the goodsgare subjected to pressure, and'the temperature of theheated element. T he temperature factor may vary with theindiv'idualoperator;

aud t-o enable him to obtain as-largean output as possible in a given time the tendency is to maintain the temperature at as highz a point as is permissible without substantial injury to the vfabric. Ordinarilythe only index by which the operator is ableto de* termine such permissive temperature is'the yellowing of the fabric due. to actual scorchingot the sameand-evenwith proper care on the party of the operator,- such determinatiouby color alone must besubiecttogreat variation not only by rea-son'of theidiosyncrasy of the individual operatorbuton. ac I count of changing l1ght'cond1t1onsand van-1 ations iutherhatrial operated upon.

Not only isthe appearance of scorch an temperature. v

I Results ozfextensiive tests have proven that the. strength of fabrics andfipiarticularly bleached fabrics such as are commonly em cutl'sfl is substantially; unaffected by f temperaa '60 l ployedv in'the manufacture of-collars and tures up to approximately 3100 F.,abut that upon increase in temperature above such point the strength of the,.material decreases very 5 rapidly, the decrease approximately from 20% to 50%;at waytemperature' ofs'about 400 F. at-wh-ich yellowing or scorch first appears.\Itisfthus lclea'rthat if the appear-' i7.0

ance' of coloration of 'theimat'erial is yto be relled upon in dete'rminlng the? permissive temperature, very positive damage' to: the

material may result, even though :the op eratorbe using the utmost care tandskill. T The object otthe presentinventioni accom'illngly 1s to providewa method and means whereby tl1e temperature to:- Whi'oh "fabric is subjected fduringthe {pressing operation may be automatically. prevented from rising to a point at,whichsubstantialgdainageitoror loss'of lstrength of the -fabric- .Would, take-- place and maintained substantially;uniferm r at the point most desirable foriefiicient op oration, and to this end the invention may H consist, in general. of; providing a method-Q of and means .101" maintaining ethe heat approximately at a;pr'e determined degree, or

within a predetermined range below' the scorching temperature, andxpreferably a'p-.

proximately at the temperature, where the strength of the blanks begins to be. affected,

and for automatically.regulating the heat 7 irrespective of the rate. of; operation so'gthat the machine doesnot. overheat it operated slowly or if left idle with the, heat turned on.

When employing an electric. heating. element it is also desirable thoughnot neOeSSar t0 P f vide a resistance.(orreactance) in -the heating circultqwhrebyizapid fluctuations, in the temperature.of the heatingcoilmay be" prevented. ,Asvwthu's. arrangedlthe resistance will ordinarily. be shunted, but when the bed plate reaches ,the predetermined imjaxi'mum temperature ,the heat-responsive "regnlator,

, cine will cut in the resistance, thus decreasing the current flow in the heating coil, the operation of the various parts thus serving to maintain the bed plate at a substantially uniform temperature.

While electrical means for heating the bed plate is most convenient, it is contemplated that thermostatic controlling may be employed in connection with other heating means, the thermostat in such cases serving to actuate suitable valves or other devices, either directly or indirectly, whereby to determine the temperature of the bed plate.

in accordance with this invention, with theheat-responsive regulator initially set to operate at a temperature below the scorch point and preferably slightly below that temperature at which substantial decrease in fabric strength begins, the operator may proceed without particular care, so far as danger from overheating of the machine is concerned, while it is substantially impossile for him to increase the temperature beyond the proper maximum if he be so disposed.

Uniformity and maximum strength in the product is thus assured while less skill on the part of the operator is necessary.

One arrangement exemplifying means whereby the invention may-well be carried into effect is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, 7

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating graphically the variations in tensile strength of. a piece of textile fabric throughout progressive increase in temperature and also illustrating'the progress of scorching of such fabric under rising temperatures;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a folding and pressing machine of known type and to which the present invention may be applied;

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section to smaller scale on a line such as (1-4) of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the machine of Fig. 2, showing the die plate in elevated or inoperative position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in longitudinal section and on a larger scale, of the bed plate of the ma- Figure 6 is a transverse cross-section on the line 0cl, of Fig. 5; and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a system of electrical circuits which may be employed in carrying the present invention into effect.

Referring to l, the diagram shown therein is constructed with ordinates repre senting tensile strength in pounds per linear inch of a test piece of fabric, while abscissae indicate temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit. The line 1 upon this diagram shows the relation ofv tensile strength to temperature at any given point, the period of subjection of the fabric to the temperatures employed in making the tests being in all cases approximately 30 seconds. In this diagram it will be noted that theinitial tensile strength is approximately fifty-three pounds,

indicated at 2, and that this strength remains substantially uniform as the temperature increases until a point approximating 300 is attained, this point being indicated at 3. As the temperature increases from this point, a very rapid decrease in tensile strength results until at the point a of the line 1, which corresponds to a temperature between 500 to 600, charring of the material has occurred to such an extent as to reduce the tensile strength to almost nothing. In; the upper part of this diagram is indicated the progressive change in color due to scorching of the fabric as the temperature is increased.

Referring to the diagram, it will be noticed that the color of the fabric remains substantially unchanged as the temperature is increased from 100 to 400 and that the first visible yellowing of the fabric occurs at approximately 100 from which point the intensity of the coloration continually increases up to the point of actual destruction of the fabric where it becomes almost black. Comparing the point 6 at which scorching begins to be visible, with the point 3 at which decrease in tensile strength commences, it will be evident that there is a substantial range of temperature, below that at whichinjury to the fabric is visible to the eye, through which such injury actually takes place, such range approximating 100 of temperature increase. In order to avoid substantial injury to the fabric in accordance with the present invention, the operative temperature is maintained at a point substantially below that at which scorching becomes visible, namely L'OO in the example illustrated, although in'the practical opera tion of folding machines of-modern type where the period during which the fabric subjected to the working temperature is often less than three seconds a somewhat higher upper limit of temperature is found to be permissible, such upper limit of worle ing temperature in any case being approxh mately that at which decrease in tensile strength actually begins under working conditions.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 7 a pressing machine of ordinary form is illustrated, comprising a frame 7, carrying the table 8 provided with the bed plate 9, such bed plate constituting one of the presser elements and having a swinging arm 10 which serves to support the die plate 11 which forms the cooperating presser element. The machine is also provided with folder bars 12 and 13, respectively operable by means of eccentric pins such let carried by suitably actuated shafts and which barsamay be guided in their movement upon the table 8 by means of brackets such as "&I1Cl1 6. Securedtothe respective folder bars aref0lderblades 17,- 18, respectively which cooperate with the edge of thedie plate ll ing the material;

In accordance withthe present invention, 1 the bed plate ispreferablymade hollow, or provided with. suitable cavities andwithin: the same is housed an electrical heating coil l9,.preferably made in two parts :as shown. This heatlng 0011 has terminalssuchas to wnich are secured the ends of wires'fll and 22 respectively. Such) Wires .may be connected to the ternunals 23 and of asuitable power circuit-by means Offamanually operable switch 25, Whe1'eby current may be caused to fiowithrough theco1l v19 for heating the bed plate. interposed in the wire 22 be aresistance coil26, the term resistance being here employed to: vdesignate any suitable means whereby the ,ma'xi mum current flow (eitherdirect or alternat- 1ng current) through the wire 22 may be.

determined. .That portion of the circuitin cluding the coil 26 may be shunted by means of a secondary circuit. comprising the wires 27, 27,.whose terminal portions are electrically connected by means ofv a circuit. making switch 28. The switch 28 is actuatedby means of a relay 29, such relay being inv cluded in a circuit comprising thewires 30 and 31 suitably supplied with current by means of a battery 32 or in other desired;

manner. such circuit'may havea manually operable switch 33, if deemed. -The arrange ment of the clrcult' breaker 28 and the relay 29 is such that' when no current flows throughthe relay,'the"shunt circuit include ing the wires-27 and 27 isopen. J

3 A chamber 1s formed 1n;t he:bfed plate extending upwardly from the lower sidethere of so as. to leave arelatively thinpartition or Wall betweenthe chamber and the blank supporting surface of the plate. her. is preferably located between the two parts of the heating coil 19. although if desired this chamber .lllitygfOllll the central part of a large chamber in which the coils are arranged. Within thiscentral chamber a box 3d is'securedby means "ofscrews 35 or in other desired manner. .The bottonr wall 36 of this box is provided witlna pair of insulated binding post-S937 and- 38:1to.

which the terminals of-th'e'wires 30 and Si are secured.v An- "insulating block 369;,is mounted upon member.36',eandasecured to the'surface of such block is ,a thermostatic element 39 lying closely adjacent to and substantially parallelwith the; upper surface of the chambensuch element'being electrically connected to-the' bindingpost 38. The

Y free extremity 40 of the member 39 overlies the upper end of an adjustablecontactmem in folding andpress,

The c0ntact mem-b I U I justed {and fixed .111 such; pos tion that when n the bed plate hasfalttalned llhti,ll'lflLXlllIlllYlfdG- This cham ber 41 {such 111ember bein9' I threaded for engagement with a threadedopen ng in, ametal-lic. -plate 4-2 which is electrically connected ture ofthe 'bed1-,plate.[

sired temperature, that*-is,3 a v.temfperat'ire substantially below the scorchlngpo nt.of

the fabric being. operated upon and ap pro xr" mating the j point at which .the tensile. strength of the fabric beginsftodecrease, the thermostatic element willbe ab'outwto to the-bindingp0st37. Alock-nuten- I gages the lower endofthe.member 41 where j by such member may -beretain-ed in adjusted. position. As thethermostaticelement 3,9 is] i located within the'bed plate, it is subjectu to th mper tur ;th re tan b 113 p r -li a of "any substantial .variation in thete1npera= 1 an "is iiiitially break-contact withthe 1n'e1nber4l. jUntil such point is-reached however, current flows 39, the post .38, the-WireSl and the .relay 29. Thevrelay is thus v energized thereby through the circuit comprising the wire I 30, the post 37, contact member tlgthe element causingthe circuit makingand breaking element 28 to close the circuit "throughhthe shunt comprisingthe Wires 27, ,The full current is thus -p'ermitted' to flow a through the; heating coil 19 Wherebythe 1 bed plate is graduallyjjraised in temperature until atathe maximum desired temperature the member iQ'leaves the member-l1,- This J immediately breaks the circuitrthrough"the 10.0 1

relay, permitting the 1116111b6l1-28'13O open the" shunt] circuit and thus causing: the .heating current to flow through the resistance .26.

This reduces the heating: currentto a' substantial-degree' whereby the temperature. of the bed plate is gradually. diminished. f A s the Ithermostatic element 39 maybe made quite sensitive to temperature variationsand:

relatively minute adjustment, itis cleanthat desirable. temperature for securing'the d e danger. of injury thereto excessive heatdecline 1 this point depending .upon

theficharacterand conditionjof the fabric, the length of time durlng ,ivhichthe heat is applied to the fab ric,..etc. p v -,;Underso-me. circumstances 1t. maylbejde; i

As above stated,thei 'temperatureqis", preferablymaintained approximately at the point where the strength of the fabric be-. gins .tov be affected, that is, ..approninrately at the point where the strength cu'rvebegins-to sired to dispense with the" resistance element. i

26, in which ease'stichJelement may been-1 tirely mrutted, or manually operable'switch for heating said element,

44: may be employed for cutting out such coil when desired. In this case the opening of the circuit at the point 28 would cause entire herein disclosed may be utilized for controlling such heating means, it. being merely necessary to provide electrically actuated controlling valves suitably connected to the thermostat whereby to deteri'nine the amount of gas or steam admitted, and it contemplated that such a change may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is also to be understood that the invention is not in any manner dependent upon the specific foru'i of thermostatic device employed, or its precise location with respect to the operative parts of the mechanism, but that various changes may be made therein such as may occur to those familiar with the art.

V] e claim:

1. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks comprising a presser element, means for heating said element, and means associated with said element and responsive to fluctuations in the temperature thereof for controlling the heat supplied to the heating means, said heat responsive element being constructed and arranged to cut off the sup ply of heat when the temperature of the presser element reaches that point at which the strength of the fabric of the blank begins to be affected.

2. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks having a presser element and means and electrically energized means for controlling the amount of heat supplied to the heating means cont prising a member responsive to fluctiiiations in temperature of the presser element and disposed within the latter, said controlling means being constructed and arranged automatically to n'iaintain the temperature of the presser element at approximately that point at which the strength of the fabric of the blank begins to be affected.

3. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks having a presser element, means for heating said element, and controlling means for controlling the heat supplied to said element, said controlling means comprising a.

member responsive to fluctuations in temperature of the presser element and being constructed and arranged automatically to maintain the temperature of the presser element between 300 and s00 F.

-1-. A machine for pressing collar and cuff blanks comprising a presser element, heating ing the amount of heat supplied to the heating means. i

' 5. A machine for pressing collar and cu'lf blanks comprising a bed plate, an electrical coil for heating the bed plate, an electrical circuit for supplying energy to the heating coil, a resistance in said circuit, means nor- .i'nally shuntii'ig said resistance -\vl'ioreby to supply electrical energy to the coil suliicieut to raise the temperature of the bed plate approximately to 800 F, and means responsivc to increase in temperature of the bed plate to a point approximating that at which the strength of the fabric of the blank begins to decrease, for automatically opening the shunt circuit whereby to render the resistance effective for cutting down the supply of energy to the heating coil.

6. A inacl'iine for folding collar and cuff blanks comprising a presserelement, means for heating said element, and means disposed-closely adjacent to the'blank engaging surface of said element and responsive to fluctuations in the temperature thereof for [controlling the heatsupplied to the heating means.

7. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks comprising a presser element having a cavity therein heating means within the cavity, and a controlling member also housed within the presser element and subject to fluctuations in temperature thereof for determining the heat supplied to the heating means.

8. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks comprising a presser element having a cavity therein, means for heating the presser element, heat responsive member disposed within the cavity in the presser element, and means controlled by said heat responsive member for varying the amount of heat suplied to the heating means.

9. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks comprising a presser element having a cavity therein, heating means disposed within the cavity, a heat responsive member associated with said presser element and subject to the temperature thereof, and means controlled by said heat responsive member for determming the heat supplied to the heating means.

10. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks comprising a bed plate having a cavity therein, heating means within the cavity, a heat responsive element within the cavity, means for determining the heat supplied to the heating means, and means actu ated bys'aid heat responsive element for controlling the heat determining means.

11. A machine for folding collar and cuff blanks comprising a bed plate, having a'recess in its under side, said recess extending nearly to the upper surface of the bed plate and being separated therefrom by a relatively thin wall, a heat responsive member disposedwithin the recess and adjacent to" said Wall so as to be subject substantially to the same temperature as theblank engaging surface of the bed plate,'and heating means for the bed plate controlled by the heat responsive element. a

12. A machine for folding collar and cuffs blanks comprising a bed plate having a cavity, therein, heating means for the bed plate,

; a box secured Within the cavity, a heat re- ,sponsive circuit breaker within the box, and

a an electrical circuit controlled therebyfor determining the heat supplied to theheating means. a

13. A machine for'foldingIcollar'and cuff blanks comprising a presser element having a surface for engagement with the blanks 'to' be folded, an electricalheating coil housedwithin a cavity insaid element, a heat re cavity, a box secured within a cavity in the, bed plate, said box having an adjustable sponsive member within'a cavityin the elen1ent,'and electrically actuatedmeans controlled by said heat responsive element for determining the current "flowing through said heating coil.

7 14, A machine for folding collar and blanks comprising a bed plate having a cavity therein, heating means within said contact point therein, a heatresponsive member arranged within the. box and constructed and arranged to contact with'or move away from said contact point under changes in temperature in the bed plate, and

an electrical circuithaving its terminals connected to the contact point and heat respon- I sive memberi respectively and operative in accordance With the movements of said heat responsive member to determine the' heat supplied to the heating means.

15. .A machine for pressing collar and cuff blanks comprising a presser elenient, an electrical coil-for heating said element,

' for supplying a predetermined amount of electrical energy to said coil,'and" means means operative upon increase in tempera;

ture of the presser element substantially energy suppliedto the'heatingcoill I v Q16; Amachine for folding collarfandcujlf blanks comprising a presser element, ;an electrical heating, coil for heating said tions in temperature of the presserpelement, and connections between said heat responabove 300 F. for reducing the amount of element, an electrical circuit comprising said coil, a resistance, and means for'shunt-' ing .said resistance, a heat responsive element so-disposed as to partake of fiuctuasive element and the shunting means-forde} termining the operation of thelatterJ 17. A machine for foldingscollar and cuff:

blanks comprising a bed plate having a.

cavity for heating the bed plate,"aresistance in circuitiWith the coil, a switch for shuntmg sa1d-res1stance,"an d an electrical c1rcu1t comprislnga circuit breaker and means for N cavitytherei'n,an'electrical coil within the actuating said switch, said "circuit breaker? being responsive to fluctuations in temperag ture of the bedflplatet 18. .A machine for means for saidla st named electrical circuit comprisingcontact elements arranged'with- 90 elements being: movable-toward and from i, j Y

the other under fluctuations in temperature,

in the cavity in the bed plate, one of said in the bed plate a Signed; by us. ar y, New YOIlQ Q this 7 23rd day of segtember 1921. 'I 1 H want ncLAYToN,

ORVILLE E. COOK. 1

' VISANFORDL, on Tg 

